Plebwatch!

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So I have one irritatingly plebian habit, which is that I always announce to anyone present how little my last bargain cost. This is usually not liable to cause me maximum social embarrassment, but yesterday I realised the friend I was telling Bargain Tales to was too rich to be impressed or concerned by that sort of thing (but I had to convey that UNIQLO rocked SO HARD, so Londoners make haste to the jumpers section is all I'm saying).

And I know I'm not alone. Which of your habits strikes you as too embarrassingly plebian for the aspirational world of today?

― suzy, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Smoking roll-ups, not to mention smoking hash. Evading my TV license fee. Buying supermarket own-brands.

― dave q, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nuh, New Answers, yo. I forgot about my predilection for grossing people out through the magic of toilet humour. Next!

― suzy, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

always saying "i'm going to have a wee" when headed in the direction of the toilet. i think i quite shocked someone at work the other day doing that. is that plebian? probably.

― katie, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

can i be the first to say that i find most of my aspirational habits embarrassing and not t'other way round?

― jess, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Arguably sticking with my band T-shirt collection instead of 'proper' buttoned shirts. My mom was saying things like 'now that you're 30, you need a more professional wardrobe,' etc. Though if she saw some of my library coworkers, I think she'd understand why it's not as bad as it looks, really...

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My clothing choices are plebian to the max. And my hair. I still get excited by music industry freebies. I like eating in front of the TV, to flatmate's disgust.

― chris, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I do what Suzy does and it's a trait I've picked up from my grandmother. Only two days ago was she heard to utter "...and do you know where it came from? Heart Foundation. 10p."

Uniqlo vests are too tight under the arms for me, but their fleeces are downy soft.

― Madchen, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah, smoking roll-ups has to be the one that earns the most frowns in my local corporate theme pub. And having to contend with charitable strangers offering me cigarettes with the words "Here, have a proper cigarette mate" and then having to explain that I don't smoke tobacco for reasons of economy but because I actually prefer the taste. I guess that makes me an uberpleb.

― Trevor, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have Suzy and Madchen's habit of telling everyone in shouting distance of my bargains. But it's so hard not to, especially when you get things like a $279 skirt for $20.

My other plebby habit is loving tabloids (the American ones, anyway). They're so silly and sensational! John Waters wrote a fab article a long time ago about the many reasons they are so grate, so anything I have to say on the matter would only echo that.

― Nicole, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I am somewhat offended by the use of pleb in a derogatoty way, considering it merely mains of or pertaining to the common people which surely we all are. If we are looking at it meaning vulgar (which has other problems) them i am not quite sure what is vulgar or unpleasant about proclaiming a bargain. In the modern world bargain hunting is possibly the closest we get to proper hunter gathering which our brains were once hard wired to. Like the Neanderthal we should feel proud of our haul.

― Pete, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Rolling-your-own carries no connotations here in Holland, quite the norm in fact. My most plebian habits: penchant for greasy fry-ups, Huddersfield accent, + endless fascination for football/soccer (from long before it got gentrified).

― stevo, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pete, I thought we were all uncommon people, however plebian or not. I just thought I was having one of those My Trailer Is Showing moments.

― suzy, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Me - common as muck. I suppose never mind how self-cosciously false the idea that "something is common" is presented to me as I still find it a touch offensive. Eating is common, infact it is pretty much universal. The best way to get rid, or get over a self perceived irritating habit is accept it as part of your personality. IF it iritated you then why the hell do it? If it irritates others ask yourself why.

Take the tabloid example above. I enjoy reading a tabloid because I think they are well put togther pieces of entertaining which - as long as I am reading them with a modicum of (wait for it) common sense I will also be informed by. Now what is wrong with that?

― Pete, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have the plebian habit of sometimes wearing only a loincloth in the supermarket. No! Don't giggle ILE! The people see this a s my "fresh way". It is seen as power in th e genital to be so bold!

― Mike Hanle y, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Like, Suzy... be proud of yr trailer... love yrself for who you are, yknow? Like, have a really groovy time!

I think it's ACE getting things for cheap, not plebby. Buying overly expensive things is fun but I'd be more embarassed gloating about how much I'd spent rather than how much I saved.

And I think a cupboard entirely full of supermarket own brand economy products is a beautiful sight. My cupboard is very minimal, apart from some damn LENTILS which so far we have played tennis, football, and catch with. I don't intend on cooking them. Urgh.

― Sarah, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I am scum. I drink Dutch Gold beer from Off Licenses because its 6 cans for 5 pounds , an unbeatable price over here. I drink Fosters in the Student bar because its 2.20 a pint. People say I'm mad drinking it just to save 40p but 40p saved on 1000 or so pints by the end of the year is huge money. I also avail of any offers around for free stuff. I beg steal borrow steal some more. I am a student, this is how I survive.

― Ronan, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hey Madchen, in case you're interested (and in London):

They're screening Sagan's Madchen In Uniform at the Riverside Studios on Sunday 14th October at 3.45pm.

― chris, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Home haircuts.

― Samantha, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

plebe's rock, diy-slackerism is fun.

― Geoff, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Katie: Whenenver I tell people I'm going to the toilet they look at me as if they don't need to know. I don't see why. I would have thought they might want an explanation as to why I'm buggering off. (Then again...)
I'm not quite as excited by clothing bargains as I used to be - generally the 'bargains' that fall apart very quickly. The trousers I am wearing right now are developing a hole and in a few weeks time the hole might have expanded embarassingly!

― Bill, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I curse. A lot of the guys in my office curse, I know it's my fault that I do, but I spend a lot of time at work so it's an influence. My grandmother used to use 'common' for behavior she disapproved of, I think a current American word for the same thing is 'gully', nasty vulgar behavior that's kind of gross.

― Lesley Higgins, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

All of the above except for "rolling my own" (I don't smoke)

Hell, I'm a video game software developer! Talk about getting the best of both aspirational and plebeian worlds...

― Brian MacDonald, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My friend Che (who has the distinct privilege of one (1) entry in the imdb.com, and is an all-around cool kitty) told me last week that "you dress a lot dumber than you are." This was in response to my swear-to-god-it-just-happened outfit of red-white-blue flannel shirt, blue Dickies, and "clinton/gore '92" nylon mesh adjustable cap. I have also been told that I dress like "a retarded person".

― Tracer hand, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My mother cuts my hair. Can't think of anything else. Oh when I am in the Netherlands I rarely pay for the busfair. Never been caught.

― nathalie (nathalie), Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Which of your habits strikes you as too embarrassingly plebian for the aspirational world of today? "

Suzy thinks it's all such a laugh - and the chip stains and grease will come out in the bath.

But still she'll never get it right...

― DavidM, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Away with your Jarvis Cocker references, bwoy. Apart from the allusion to the lyrics, you don't know WTF you're talking about;-).

― suzy, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Katie, at least you don't normally say "I'm going on a dog calming exercise".

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hi, My name is Kim, and I too am a bargain announcer. I keep telling myself that next time I just won't say it, but then all it takes is for someone to say "Hey, I really like your shoes" and *Bam* there I am... off the wagon.

― Kim, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Easy Mac! Easy Mac! Easy Mac!

― Maria, Tuesday, 9 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Suzy, there's nothing plebian about being proud of bargains. The upper middle classes love that kind of thing, in my experience.

― Nick, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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